- Date
- October 2, 1992, 17:04 local (21:04 UTC)
- Place
- Chattanooga, TN
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N10BSBeech E-55
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 11, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19921002040029A
- Case key
- 8687
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The failure of an unknown person to follow proper procedures/directives by operating a radio-controlled model plane in airport traffic pattern airspace.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot was on short final for a visual approach to runway 15. He observed an approaching object that appeared to be a radio-controlled model airplane. He pulled up and banked to the left; however, the object collided with the underside of the right wing. The ailerons were momentarily jammed, but force on the control yoke freed them. He executed a go-around and landed the airplane on runway 20. Examination of the aircraft revealed a hole in the underside of the right wing, a destroyed rib, and a nicked aileron cable. There was also a bulge in the upper wing skin. A small sliver of wood was found inside the damaged wing section. A search for the model airplane and its operators was unsuccessful.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N10BS
- Reported as
- Beech E-55
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- TE-841
- Airframe hours
- 1,582
- Engine
- Continental IO-520-C, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Oehmig, Von D.
- Registered owner
- Oehmig, Von D.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 4, 1992 · 20 hours before
- Departed
- SGF · Springfield, MO
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- CHA · Lovell Field, runway 15, 5,000 × 150 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 29
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 4,511 total · 310 in this make and model · 2,246 as pilot in command · 80 in the last 90 days · 25 in the last 30 days · 9 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 70° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- CHA, 1 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.